Cultivating and weeding attachment for motorcycles



Nov. 7, 1944. G. O. HEPPNER CULTIVATING- AND WEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTORCYCLES Filed Dec. 23, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor -1, 1944 G. O; HEFPNER 2,362,374

CULTIVATING AND WEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTORCYCLES NOV. 7, 1944. 2,362,374 CULTIVATING AND WEEDING. ATTACHMENT FOR mo'roncycms G. Q. HEPPNER' Filed Dec. 23, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Patented Nov. 7, 1944 CULTIVATIN G AND WE EDING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTORCYCLES George Quirrine Heppner, Oldenburg, Ind. Application Decemberv 23, 1943, Serial No. 515,438

This invention relates to a novel cultivating and weeding attachment for motorcycles, and the primary object of the invention isvto pro vide a device of this kind which shall-be highly efficient in operation and simple and durable in construction.

Briefly described, the attachment includes a suitable frame adapted to be secured to the rear of the motorcycle so that the rear supporting wheelof the latter is centrally received within the forward part of the frame and so that the attachmentmay be effectively drawn between rows by the motorcycle. discs are carried by the frame at opposite sides of the rear motorcycle supporting wheel, and a, rotary weeding and mulch spreading rod. is provided transversely of the frame at the rear of thelatter, means. being provided for driving said rod from the rearsupporting wheelof the motorcycle.

The invention contemplates the provision of means for yieldingly pressing the frame downwardly so that the cultivator discs and the rotary weeding and mulch spreading rod will effectively engage and penetrate the soil for eflicient action. 'I'he invention further contemplates-the provisionof simple and .efiicient means for attaching, the device to the frame of the motorcycle for being efi'ectively drawnthereby.

Another object is to provide simple and efficient driving means for therotaryweeding andmulch spreading rod.

Other object and features of the invention will .become apparent from the following descriptionwhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in the novel form, ,combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the drawings, andclaimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference charactersindicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l-is a side elevational view of an attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention and applied to a motorcycle,

the rear portionof, the motorcycle being shown.

w thereof, with parts Figure 2 is a top planlvi omitted for sake ofv clearness.

Figure 3 is a, transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on-line 4-4 of Figure 1. 1

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the Dlaneof line 5--5 -of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section Gangs of cultivator 4 Claims. (01.- sr ss) taken on the plane of line 6 6 of Figure 3, but

with parts broken away and in section, to reveal detailsof construction. a

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the braces for supporting the inner ends of the axles which carry the cultivator discs, and

Figure 8 is a perspective View of one of the hangers which support the outer ends of the axles which carry the cultivator discs.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 indicates a motorcycle of conventional type having a power plant-6 for driving a rear supporting wheel I through chain gearing l, the usual saddle for the occupant of the motorcycle being provided, as at 8; As usual, the rear supporting and driving wheel Tiscarried' by a rear fork having spaced rearwardly extending arms 9 at the bottom thereof. a t

The present attachment, which is designed to be applied to the rear ofthe motorcycle for being drawn along by the latter between rows being cultivated, includes a suitable frame which embodies a pair of spacedbeams lfl provided with forwardly converging end portions II and downwardly directed rear end portions [2. The forward ends of beams ID are connected'by an attaching clamp which includes an inverted saddle member l3 of substantially U-shape adapted to be snapped over the fork arms 9 of the motor-' cycle frame'in front-0f therear supporting wheel I of the-motorcycle, as shown clearly in the drawings.- This clamp further includes inner jaws l4 fixed by welding, or the like, to the intermediate portion of saddle member l3 and arranged to engage the arms 9 of the fork atthe inner sides of the latter, the outer jaws or end portions of the, saddle member I3 be the projecting ends of the bolt l5, and nuts l6.

are threaded on the ends'of bolt l5 so as to tightly draw the outer jaws of the clamp toward each other for firmly and-securely rigidly attaching, the frame of the attachment to the rear fork of the motorcycle.-

Rigid with and depending from the beams l0 near the forward ends thereof are hangers I! having twistedlower portions l1 inthe lower ends of which aresuitably fixed the outer ends oflstub axles l8 carrying a'series of spaced cultivator discs l9; Due to the twisting of the lower portions of hangers; IT, as at-l1", the stub axles. l8 are disposed to extend inwardly and rearwardly at a slight oblique angle, and the cultivator discs l9 are thus supported in gangs at opposite sides of the rear motorcycle wheel 1. The inner ends of the stub axles I8 are suitably supported and braced by brace rods 20 having their forward ends received on clamping bolt l inwardly of the nuts l6, and having their rear ends suitably secured to the inner ends of the stub axles I8. By reason of the attachment of the forward ends of beams to clamping bolt IS, the beams H] are capable of downward movement so as to permit the discs l9 and theweeding and mulch spreading rod, to be presently described, to be forced into the surface of the soil. For effecting this downward pressure, springs 2| are utilized, one of which is associated with each beam Ill. As shown, each spring 2| encircles a rod 22 that passes through a bracket 23 fixed to the associated beam l0 and a further bracket 24 secured on the upper arm 25 of the rear motorcycle frame fork at the adjacent side of said fork. The spring 28 abuts the brackets 23 and 24 at its opposite ends, and the slight downward movement of the beams l0 under the influence of springs 2| is adjustably controlled by nuts 26 threaded on the forward upward ends of the rods 22. A vertically yieldable pressure means is thus provided for the beams in at opposite sides of the rear motorcycle wheel 1.

Supported by the lower ends of the downwardly directed rear end portions l2 of beams I0 is a rotary weeding and mulch spreading shaft 21. As shown clearly in Figures 3 and 6, the shaft 21 is hollow and of rectangular crosssection and is journaled at its ends on cylindrical stub shafts 28 carried by and projecting inwardly from the lower ends of the downturned portions l2 of beams Ill. Means is provided for driving the shaft 21 in the same direction as the rear motorcycle wheel 1 turns upon forward travel of the motorcycle. This is counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, and the driving means includes ratchet wheels 29 secured on opposite ends of the shaft 21 and received in bearings 30 on corresponding ends of ratchet levers 3|, said levers carrying spring-pressed ratchet detents 32 cooperating with the teeth of ratchet wheels 29. A transverse crankshaft 33 is journaled in the beams l0 and'carries an intermediate pulley 34 arranged to bear upon the periphery of the rear motorcycle wheel 1 at the rear of the latter.

Shaft 33 has cranks 35 operatively connected by pitmans 36 with the upper ends of levers 3|.

The arrangement is such that, upon forward travel of the motorcycle, the rear wheel 1 will drive pulley 34 and through the connections described will alternately swing levers 3l forwardly and then rearwardly. When one lever 3! swings forwardly, it imparts a partial rotation to shaft 21, and this rotation is subsequently continued by the actuation of the other lever 3|. Thus, efilcient and simple means is provided for driving the rotary shaft 21 from the rear wheel of the motorcycle.

In use, the attachment is drawn between rows upon forward travel of the motorcycle, the cultivator discs l9 effectively cutting and breaking up the soil in advance of the bar 21. At the same time, bar 21 is rotatably driven by the means described so as to effectively pull weeds and spread the weeds, leaves and the like so as to leave a desirable thickness of mulch. Due to the action of springs 2!, the cultivator discs are caused to penetrate the soil as the bar 21 is caused to operate in the soil slightly below the surface. A power-drawn cultivating and weeding device is thus had which may be operated at low cost. The attachment may be manufactured cheaply and is comparatively convenient to apply to a motorcycle for use. Also, the device provides for efficient cultivating and mulch spreading operations, as well as thorough pulling or destruction of weeds. Minor changes in the details of construction illustrated and described are contemplated, such as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a cultivating and weeding attachment for motorcycles, a frame including spaced beams having downwardly directed rear ends, and means to secure the forward end of the frame to the rear fork of a motorcycle with the rear driving and supporting Wheel of the motorcycle received centrally between the beams, and earth working elements Within the frame and supported by the beams, inwardly and rearwardly extending stub shafts supported by the beams at opposite sides of the motorcycle wheel, said earth working ele ments comprising gangs of cultivator discs mounted on said stub axles. 7

2. In a cultivating and'weeding attachment for motorcycles, a frame including spaced beams having downwardly directed rear ends, and means to secure the forward end of the frame to the rear fork of amotorcycle with the rear driving and supporting wheel of the motorcycle received centrally between the beams, and earth working elements within the frame and supported by the beams, and spring means acting on the beams and having meansto attach the same to the rear fork of the motorcycle for pressing the frame downwardly and causing the earth working elements to penetrate the soil.

3. In a cultivating and weeding attachment for motorcycles, a frame including spaced beams having downwardly directed rear ends,and means to secure the forward end of the frame to the rear fork of a motorcycle with the rear driving and supporting wheel of the motorcycle received centrally between the beams, and earth working elements within the frame and supported by the beams. said earth working elements including a transverse shaft rotatably supported by the lower ends of the downturned rear end portions of the beams, and means to drive said shaft from the rear supporting wheel of the motorcycle.

4. In a cultivating and weeding attachment for motorcycles, aframe including spaced beams having downwardly directed rear ends, and means to secure the forward end of the frame to the rear fork of a motorcycle with the rear driving and supporting wheel of the motorcycle received centrally between the beams, and earth working elements within the frame and supported by the beams, said earth working elements including a transverse shaft rotatably supported by the lower ends of the downturned rear end portions of the beams, and means to drive said shaft from the rear supporting wheel of the motorcycle, said last-named means including operating arms on the ends of the shaft, ratchet driving means between said arms and said shaft, a transverse crankshaft carried by the frame and having a pulley arranged to bear on the rearmotorcycle wheel, and operating connections between said crankshaft and said levers.

GEORGE QUIRRINE I-I'EPPNER. 

